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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26533165">Of Teaching and Sunsets</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/diduforget123/pseuds/diduforget123'>diduforget123</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SEVENTEEN (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Chan is a sweetheart, Cute Kids, Domestic Fluff, Except their relationship is better than the hallmark channel, Fluff, M/M, Teacher Minghao, Teaching Assitant Chan, Their relationships rivals the hallmark channel, minghao is whipped</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:56:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26533165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/diduforget123/pseuds/diduforget123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Minghao does not like working with people. At all.<br/>College groups and time have made him detest the idea of sharing his workspace with anyone, but when the district forces Minghao to have an assistant due to student-teacher ratios, he finds that he might not hate the idea after all. Especially, when his teaching assistant is the bubbly, and handsome Lee Chan</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Chan | Dino/Xu Ming Hao | The8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>A Sip of Summer Wine</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Special Introductions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Minghao is not happy with the teaching administration. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure, he trusts their judgment and the ability to discern when certain things need to happen, but this decision is the worst.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The board of school administrators stares at him questionably as he does nothing but just gawk at them, flabbergasted, “What do you mean you are going to give me an assistant for my classes?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The head administrator sighs and rubs his temple. Minghao feels bad for reiterating his question for the third time, but he is so confused. All of his classes are calm, and none of the children ever act up (except for a select few, but that’s to be expected of a bunch of elementary school children). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kids respect Minghao. They always have. So why is the administration doing this to him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Seo, please, enough with the dramatics,” One of the worker’s sighs; Minghao didn’t get his name. Still, he truthfully doesn’t care all that much, “our teacher to student ratio based on the recent population increase at the school, indicates that you need to receive an assistant to keep up with the district policies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minghao groans, running a hand through his hair. “And this takes effect when?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Immediately. The school district has already chosen the assistant, and he will be in your classroom tomorrow, but you will have the chance to meet him before classes start.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He?” Minghao blinks at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did they hire a guy? It wasn’t uncommon for there to be male teachers or even teaching assistants, but Minghao did not expect them to hire a guy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We figured it would be, uh,” The head man clears his throat awkwardly, fixing his tie,  “inappropriate to have a male and female teaching together in the same environment, so the board opted for a partner of the same sex.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stifling a laugh, Minghao considers telling them how they are doing him a favor by giving him, a gay man, a male teaching assistant, but he feels it’s better to leave it out. The board stares at him for a few moments, and neither says anything; it’s just awkward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally breaking the silence, Minghao straightens up, “Is that all you want me for, or can I head home for the day?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The board head nods and motions his hand towards the door, “You are excused.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minghao inwardly lets out a sigh of relief, collects his stuff, slips his messenger bag over his shoulder, and gives the men a slight bow before calmly exiting the door. Once in the hallway, Minghao lets out a throaty groan, it reverberating off the walls. He knows that he is probably overreacting, but he just </span>
  <em>
    <span>hates </span>
  </em>
  <span>working with other people. It only leads to clashing personalities and differences. In the end, all of his ‘partnerships’ in college ended with them blocking each other over sns, so Minghao gets a sense of how working with people is. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minghao walks until he reaches his car in the teacher parking lot. It’s around five o clock or so, and due to the winter season, the sun is already setting. Today, it seems the sky itself is more purple than dark blue, the clouds outlined with a vibrant orange, from the sun’s reflection. He keeps his hand on the door handle, watching as the sun dips between a group of clouds, instantly darkening. Something is satisfying when the sun sets behind a bunch of clouds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure, a typical sunset is gorgeous and shows all sorts of colors and lights, but a sunset with clouds around paints a more beautiful picture. The clouds add a sense of something unknown, no cloud the same, always moving, and ever-changing. To Minghao, those are the most breathtaking sunsets to watch. It’s a shame that the board kept him for so long, or else he would have hightailed it out of the school earlier and drove to the beach to take some pictures.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minghao fishes his keys out of his pocket and gets into the car, ripping his bag off him, practically throwing it into the passenger seat. He runs a hand through his hair, pulling down the sun visor with the other hand. As he looks at himself in the mirror, Minghao can see that he already looks stressed. His black hair is sticking up in all different directions, and overall his expression is not pleasant. There is a lot that he has to do when he gets home; his whole schedule is now being flipped upside down at the addition of his new assistant. If the board had chosen to do this at the beginning of the school year, Minghao would have been okay with that. He could have adapted his schedule and curriculum to the accountability of another person. But now, his whole agenda, his entire work life is taking a full 180 turn, and he is just not okay with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He puts the keys into the ignition and starts the car, not realizing exactly how hard he is gripping the steering wheel when he backs out of the parking space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He is not looking forward to tomorrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he wakes up in the morning, Minghao feels grumpy. He stayed up until eleven (which is past his bedtime), fixing his schedule. It ended up looking like a huge mess, and he spent a lot of time trying to fix it, but eventually, he just gave up and just decided that he would just roll with the punches and hope for the best. The lack of structure in his life now is what has thrown him into this mood. Even as he goes through his daily morning routine, he doesn’t feel the slightest bit better (even though most of the time it helps). Once he reaches the coffee stage, though, he feels a small change in his mood, especially as he feels the coffee’s energy expand throughout his whole body. Minghao makes a mental note that he should switch his routine so that the coffee’s satisfaction can hit him earlier. Taking in an intense breath, Minghao grabs all of his stuff and prepares himself for the day. He is going to try and push himself to be positive with all the new stuff happening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ultimately, after pondering the new adjustment for many </span>
  <em>
    <span>many </span>
  </em>
  <span>minutes, Minghao is relatively okay with the idea of having more help around the classroom; it’ll just take him some time to realize what a blessing it will be. But, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>hopes </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>prays</span>
  </em>
  <span> that this new person is compatible with Minghao because if he isn’t, it will be one hell of a year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon entering his car, Minghao makes sure to put on his lofi playlist and have his coffee within arm’s length. It’s time to head to work, and he needs a good environment to be as calm as possible as not to be rude to the children, his principal, or even his new assistant. Sucking in a shit ton of air, Minghao lets his head clear for a moment before flipping the car into drive and heading off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The drive to work is, thankfully, calm. At some point in the car ride, Minghao rolls down the windows and continues to drive with them down, up until he reaches the school parking lot. Once he parks his car, he sees the principal get out of his own, noticing Minghao and waving at him. Minghao bears a fake grin and waves back, groaning at not being able to hide in his car for a few minutes before heading in. The principal starts walking over to Minghao’s car, and the teacher sighs as he turns off his car. He reaches for his bag and slings it lazily on his shoulder, getting out of the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Seo, how are you this fine morning?” The principal reaches his hand out, a smile plastering his face—Minghao grits his teeth and smiles, wide. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m doing just fine this morning Mr. Moon, how about yourself?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m doing just fine, thank you for asking Mr. Seo. Are you excited to meet your new assistant?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, he would ask that—the older man motions for Minghao to walk with him. As they cross the parking lot, Minghao weighs the decision to express exactly how he feels about the situation. Does he want it? Should he just fully accept it? Will it work?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Truthfully, sir?” The teacher asks. His voice is quieter than he meant for it to be, but he knows the man heard him, seeing as he stops dead in his tracks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, truthfully, Mr.Seo…” Mr. Moon replies, quirking his right brow curiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The older’s gaze pierces him, and Minghao uncomfortably shifts under it. The principal is by no means a mean or stern man, but his looks hold an extreme amount of power to them. His face can instantly switch from the most eccentric look ever to an expressionless stoic look. Minghao knows, he has seen it before, and just the thought of it makes the teacher shudder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, sir, I’m just not quite warmed up to the idea of having someone else help me. If I’m being honest, I don’t particularly get along well with others, and I’m just very nervous, especially considering this man is going to be with me for the rest of the year.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His boss just blinks at him, before breaking into a fit of giggles. Now, this is new to Minghao.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Mr. Seo, you truly are no fun!” Mr. Moon lets out a singular laugh, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye, “Don’t be so uptight, Mr. Seo. I’ve met the new assistant a couple of times, and he is nothing but a pure ball of joy. I swear to you that you will be just fine. He’s very adorable if I do say so myself.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The principal throws his arm over Minghao and gives him a big grin. “I know that you will get along just fine, and if you don’t,” he raises his right hand and switches to a stoic expression, just like the one Minghao has seen before. “I promise that you can come to me and tell me and I will find you a new assistant?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For real?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For real.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Okay then…” Minghao replies hesitantly, eyeing the older’s expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mr. Moon grins widely again. “Great! Now let’s go meet the assistant, shall we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grip tightens on Minghao’s shoulder, and he isn’t sure why, but it’s somewhat comforting. They continue to walk together until they reach the art room, Mr. Moon, having never stopped talking about Minghao’s ear, even when they reached the classroom. Mr. Moon looks over at Minghao, and he knows he looks nervous, especially with the way the principal is looking at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be fine, Minghao.” Mr. Moon says with a smile and opens the door. The teacher doesn’t even have time to react to his name being used before being pushed into the art classroom. The room is all lit up, everything already turned on, including the fairy lights Minghao put up above the whiteboard. In the corner of the room, towards the back windows, the assistant is washing paintbrushes, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Mr. Moon clears his throat, and the boy tenses up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, sorry, Mr. Lee, I didn’t mean to scare you! It’s just that the art teacher is here to greet you!” Mr. Moon motions Minghao forward a little bit. The teacher looks back at him awkwardly and then looks back towards the assistant. The boy still hasn’t turned around yet, and Minghao figures that he’s probably finishing up his task (which he has no idea who asked him to do this, but he does appreciate it.) Minghao walks closer to him, watching as he pulls down his sleeves, adjusting the buttons towards the end of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Mr. Lee, I’m Minghao, or Mr. Seo, as you’ll probably call me the most during class.” He extends his hand outwards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Minghao wasn’t quite sure what to expect when the boy turned around, but he was not expecting to be greeted by a literal angel. The assistant turns around, and he is practically beaming as he looks at the teacher. He has chestnut brown hair that seems to have a little wave to it, cutely outlining his face. Minghao can’t quite see his eyes’ color from the way his eye’s scrunch as he smiles, but the teacher couldn’t care less, seeing as the boy looks ethereal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Mr. Seo! It’s so great to meet you finally; all of the administration has told me how much of a wonderful art teacher you are! My name is Lee Chan, and I cannot wait to work with you!” He reaches his hand out and takes Minghao’s, enthusiastically shaking his hand, and wow, his hands are so soft. This man is so beautiful and so unreal that Minghao doesn’t even realize that he is staring until Mr. Moon clears his throat again, seemingly masking a snort. “Well, I will leave you two to get to know each other, seeing as school starts in,” he glances down at his watch, “approximately an hour. If either of you needs anything at all, please feel free to call my office. And please, don’t hesitate to ask the front office lady for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mr. Moon looks towards Chan, “She is a terrifying old lady who seems harsh, but I promise you she is more bark than bite.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll keep that in mind.” Chan smiles, and Mr.Moon returns one to him before turning his attention back towards Minghao. “I hope you have a </span>
  <em>
    <span>wonderful </span>
  </em>
  <span>day.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Minghao can even say anything back, the man is gone and out of the door. He decides to curse him from inside his head, looking at the boy to notice him just watching Minghao, waiting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh shit, I’m guessing I should probably give you the rundown of the class rules and stuff, shouldn’t I?” He awkwardly rubs the back of his head and just about passes out when Chan giggles. Yes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>giggles. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be nice, but I hope you don’t curse like that in front of the kids, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mr. Seo.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minghao lets out a nervous chuckle, his head shaking slightly, “I would never, Mr. Lee; it’s something for only you and I to hear.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Magical Beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Time has passed and Minghao has found himself even more infatuated with the teacher.<br/>Except, it's Chan who takes initiative, not  Minghao. Because dammit, he is gonna get that date.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/chanasauraus/status/1320539853084393475?s=20"> Moodboard </a> for this story done by me!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>To say that Minghao adores Chan is an understatement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He has become so completely and utterly infatuated with his assistant that he barely manages to function during their classes or when alone during their breaks. Chan is approaching his second month of being with the school and each passing day makes the older fall more head over heels for him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly, they get along remarkably well (of course, Jun knew that they would from the start, hence why he picked Chan, but Minghao didn’t know that). Chan is very outgoing and brings a whole new energy to the classroom. That, and the kids absolutely adore him. Minghao is unsure if it’s because he is so kind and open or if the kids just find Chan more approachable than him, but it isn’t unwelcome. When initially introduced to the different classes, many kids quickly took to him, even the older group, shocking to Minghao because he had difficulty connecting with them. But, he has to admit that it is nice seeing the kids so open and playful with the new assistant. It’s very heartwarming.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s currently their lunchtime, and both of them are eating in the classroom today, orders from the principal. According to Jun, some maintenance is being done in the teacher lounge, which sounds suspicious to Minghao because there was no one there when he walked by earlier. The teacher has every right to believe that Jun is trying to set him up with Chan, and he has no problem with that, except that he never told Jun his orientation. Within the time Chan has been at the school, Jun has become a friend and wingman to Minghao, which he never expected. Very strange if you ask the teacher. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There is a quietness in the room as they eat. Chan took the liberty of pulling up a chair to Minghao’s desk so he could be closer to the teacher, and when the older tells you that he almost died right then and there, it’s because he really felt like he was going to. Nothing can keep his heart from racing in his chest as he stares at Chan. Thankfully, the assistant isn’t paying attention, choosing to focus more on his food than his work partner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The younger looks absolutely radiant today, his attire more casual than usual due to the calmness (read pre-weekend insanity) of Friday. His hair is wavier than normal, pieces of hair falling in his face. Minghao assumes it has something to do with the way his hair was wet when he showed up to work this morning. Chan’s sweater is light blue with a darker blue and pink plaid pattern. The way it looks comes off as professional, but its largeness makes the assistant look smaller than he actually is. There was an attempt to make it seem the right size, seeing as most of it is tucked into Chan’s light brown slacks, but the part that makes its size the most obvious to Minghao is how the sleeves fall over Chan’s hands. It’s all the teacher can notice while the assistant eats, and it’s driving him absolutely crazy. This doesn’t help the fact that Minghao has an immense crush on him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No. That’s an immature term. Minghao harbors deep, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>deep feelings for him. Ever since Minghao set his eyes on the charismatic Lee Chan, all he has ever wanted to do is romance him to no end. He wants to take him on dates, go on trips with him, kiss him, hold him, fuck h-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just because I’m not looking at you, Mr. Seo, doesn’t mean I can’t feel you staring at me.” Chan smiles, causing Minghao to just freeze. His face heats up immediately, and he opens his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out. </span>
  <span>God, he feels so embarrassed. The air in the room completely shifts, and it just feels… awkward. Chan doesn’t say anything to him, nor does he look at him. Internally, Minghao is doing nothing but kicking himself. Why would he even stare at his assistant? Why is he being so weird and just staring at Chan while he eats his lunch? Wh-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can hear you thinking, Minghao,” Chan chuckles and puts a hand on his arm. Minghao’s brain short circuits, “I’m-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you have been staring at me for the past two months. I’m not dumb, nor am I ignorant, and I also see everything so,” grinning widely, Chan stands up and throws his trash away. “If you have something to tell me, just do it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minghaos eyes scan Chan’s face frantically, looking for something, anything that can give him an insight into what the other is thinking, but nothing. Chan is very expressive and has never given Minghao any reason to believe that he is lying or being fake. But, Minghao assumes that every reaction isn’t truthful; he thinks it’s because of human imperfection and how some people are more inept to believe people than others.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Minghao asks, and Chan just blinks at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When Jun said you were dense, I didn’t think you were this dense, Mr.Seo…” Chans laugh fills the air, and Minghao is so confused. What does he mea-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please ask me out on a date already; it’s a little upsetting you stare at me like I’m the only thing in the world,” Chan moves closer to him, lightly hovering his fingers over the teacher’s hand, “and you can’t even ask me to get coffee with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minghao stares blankly at the boy before his eyes widen in realization. He really is dense.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does that mean-?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Chan giggles. “I like you too. At least, assuming that I’ve been reading your feelings right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I could kiss you right now, I would.” Minghao breathes out, interlacing his fingers with his assistant. His eyes cast away from Chan, especially with the way the other man’s gaze is tearing through him as he sits there. Minghao knows that he even so much as looks at the other, he may impulsively break a handful of rules by pressing him up against the desk and finally kissing the lips he’s been staring at for most of the semester. Hesitantly, Minghao begins to rub his thumb over Chan’s knuckles listening for a reaction or hearing anything that should make him stop. Once the feeling really hits Chan, his breath hitches, cutting through the silence that surrounds them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been wanting to do this for so long…” Minghao murmurs. He gives Chan’s hand a light squeeze before pulling it away. Minghao swears he can feel the youngers grasp tighten as he goes to let go, but he isn’t sure if he imagines things. Faintly, the teacher can feel Chan’s presence right next to his ear, “Can I set our coffee date for after-work, or do I need to wait for you longer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tension between them is so thick. It’s suffocating Minghao to the point where he can barely breathe. All he longs to do is touch Chan, anywhere, </span>
  <em>
    <span>everywhere, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but even the slightest thought he has is only a want. Physically, he can’t be touching his assistant. At least, not here. The idea of being able to see Chan in a different environment away from work is really thrilling to Minghao.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about I take you somewhere else for our first date? Somewhere more… exciting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Minghao takes this opportunity to look at Chan, inwardly beaming at how the younger lights up at his proposition. “Do I get the pleasure of knowing where we are going, or are you going to surprise me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And if I say it’s a surprise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then at least tell me what to wear and what time you will pick me up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Casual but comfy, and does six sound okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chan smiles warmly at him and places his hand over Minghaos yet again, giving it a squeeze. “Six sounds perfect. I’ll text you my address.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The teacher isn’t sure how long they stare at each other, but it’s last all the way up until they are abruptly broken apart at the lunch bell going off. It rings loud throughout the class, and once it ends, the sound of children’s voices can be heard echoing off the hallway walls. Just like that, Chan drifts away from him and to another part of the room, straightening a couple of things in the class before he and the teacher are bombarded by the horde of children. Minghao watches him for a few moments before looking down at his hand on the table, the warmth from where Chan’s hand touched, still lingering on his skin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t take too long for the kids to start filing into the classroom and into their seats. Time passes relatively quick once the lesson begins, but in his opinion, it’s not moving fast enough. The sight of Chan laughing with one of the second graders while he helps explain how to do their activity has Minghao wishing it was already six o clock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the day, unfortunately, doesn’t go any faster. The last classes of the day are three different kindergarten classes, each class worse than the one previously. Minghao adores the young ones; he really does, but they are, of course, young, and their attention spans are tiny, which can most of the time lead to prolonged teaching (which is precisely what happened today). So the class times felt like they lasted two hours when they were only a mere forty-five minutes in reality. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once the end of the day finally rolls around and the dismissal bell rings, Minghao breathes out a long sigh of relief. Chan was called to the office sometime at the beginning of the last class and hasn’t returned since. Sometimes assistants are required to get evaluations every month, and seeing as he had one last month, Minghao assumes that’s what’s going on. Taking on the assistant’s tasks, Minghao cleans the room and puts all of the stools on the desk. He makes sure to wipe all the surfaces down before moving on and straightening up the kid’s artwork. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he finishes, thirty minutes have passed, and Chan is still nowhere in sight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Momentarily, Minghao considers calling Junhui, but then again, the older has the mindset of a middle schooler and will probably tease him endlessly for wanting to know where his assistant is. It’s annoying, really.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, the older doesn’t really meddle in the relationship between Minghao and Chan, but he does push their interactions. For example, take today where he purposely made it so that the two of them were stuck together in the classroom for lunch. That was his pushing (and yes, he knows Jun did it on purpose because when the teacher emailed him in between classes confronting him about it, all he received in reply was a winky face). There’s a frown on Minghaos face as he thinks of the email, but he does suppose he has Junhui to thank for Chan inviting him on a date, even though he would never tell the man that. As much as the teacher adores Chan, he refuses to give Jun the satisfaction of knowing that he played a part in them getting together if he can even call it that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chan walks through the door moments later, a small smile on his face. Minghao quirks a brow as he watches his assistant walk over and grab his stuff from the storage room. How odd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything okay, Chan?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep, everything is just great, Mr.Seo.” He walks back out into the classroom and stops right in front of the teacher. Minghao blinks down at him, very curious. Chan’s smile grows wider, and suddenly he hops up onto his tippy toes and plants a kiss right on Minghao’s cheek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See you later, Minghao!” Chan calls out, giggling as he rushes out of the classroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The teacher stays put in his spot, gawking at the door. His whole face is warm, heart fluttering against his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, how he is so utterly fucked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the date inches closer, Minghao feels himself get more and more nervous. It’s been a while since Minghao has had a fling let alone a whole date. The entire four years of his career has been nothing but him and his dedication to his job, making sure his sole focus was on his kids. He hadn’t even thought of the idea of beginning to date someone, so this is nerve-wracking to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glancing over his appearance in the mirror, Minghao checks and makes sure everything looks okay. He isn’t wearing anything different aside from his normal casual wear, but he will admit he put a little bit more effort into how it looks just for Chan. He’s sporting black vans, with some blue, cuffed jeans. He has on a white shirt with a plaid button-up over it. The button-up itself is unbuttoned and tucked into his jeans, white shirt semi on display. After taking one last look at himself, Minghao takes a deep breath and runs a hand through his slick black hair. Internally, he has to reassure himself that everything is going to be okay. It’s just a date, right? He can do this. Besides, he’s been wanting this ever since Chan arrived at the school. It was long overdue, and dammit, he wasn’t going to let anything mess this up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got this,” Minghao says, determined. He gives himself an approving look in the mirror before picking up the car keys off the counter and a basket packed with food. Pulling out his phone, Minghao quickly sends a text to Chan that he is on his way before going out the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The drive is pretty calm, Minghao having chosen to risk messing up his hair for the sake of having the windows down. When he pulls up to Chan’s address (right on time, he must add), he is surprised to see a small little blue house instead of an apartment building. The area is run-down by no means, but it is quite odd for there to be a house this small in a place where ordinarily only apartment buildings are built. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minghao opts to getting out of the car instead of texting Chan that he arrived. As he walks up to the door, he looks around the small patio noting the few cute plants Chan owns and the welcome mat with an otter on it. Minghao softly rattles his knuckles against the door and backs up a step waiting for the other to answer. The older hears Chan most likely messing around with the lock, a click sounding, and the door opening. The younger steps out onto the porch and closes the door, using a key he has to lock it.  When he turns around is when Minghao first gets a good glimpse of him, and he smiles. The other looks very cozy in an oversized grey sweatshirt with some random logo on it where the breast pocket would typically be. He paired it with a pair of cuffed black jeans and some checkered vans. Minghaos gaze travels down as he looks at the outfit and then comes back up to meet Chan’s gaze, the youngers cheeks sporting a red tint. “I wish you would’ve told me to dress up a little bit more than casual because my outfit doesn’t exactly look great compared to yours.” Chan chuckles awkwardly, obviously a little embarrassed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Minghao says and grabs Chan’s hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss. “You still look great. And besides, you could literally pull off anything when you look so naturally stunning, Chan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger blushes, even more, letting out a soft thank you at the sudden comment. Minghao straightens back up but doesn’t let go of Chan’s hand, taking the opportunity to lead him to the car. Like a gentleman, Minghao opens the door and gestures for Chan to get in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other grins, “Why thank you, Mr. Seo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Mr. Lee.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minghao waits until the other is all set inside before closing his door and walking back to the driver’s side to get in. Once he pulls his door shut, he turns to look at Chan, who is staring at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I allowed to know where we are going yet? or why there is a picnic basket in the back seat?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you aren’t allowed to know because that would ruin the surprise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chan frowns. “Not even a hint?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re hint,” Minghao turns and points to the back, “is that basket back there. Now buckle up because we have just a little bit of a drive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A little bit of grumbling comes from Chan as he puts his seatbelt on. In reality, Chan isn’t that big of a fan of surprises, but he supposes he’ll suck it up for Minghao. Besides, it seems like the effort is there, and Chan doesn’t want to ruin the excitement that Minghao may have. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So Chan,” Minghao says as he pulls out of the driveway. He figures that if they have a drive, he will make the most of it and learn more about his <strike>assistant</strike> date. “Tell me more about yourself. What you like to do. What are your hobbies? What kind of music you like? Shit like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chan chuckles lightly and lets out a hum of thought, “Well, to answer the questions that you did give me: I really enjoy singing if you can count that as a hobby a-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it counts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, don’t interrupt me!” Chan replies, playfully giving Minghaos arm a slap. “As I was saying, I like singing. In college, I sang on a couple of tracks for one of my friends, who was a music major. It was fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you ever dream about being a singer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I did,” Chan sighs. It wasn’t a fond memory. His dream used to be something he pursued all the time while he was getting his teaching degree. He would audition for company after company, only to be let down when he didn’t even get a callback. After a while, Chan decided that it was time for the dream to just stay a dream. “And I even went for it too. But, like all things in life, you have to decipher what dreams can come true and what can’t.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You had the guts to go for it, Chan, and that’s really admirable. I wish I would have had your guts in college.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s silence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what hobby did you not go for then?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The question makes Minghao chuckle. “Well, since you asked. I actually was a dancer back in college, and I can sing. At least in my own opinion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A two for one? Wow, I sure am lucky!” Chan jokes, and Minghao smiles wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never had the guts like you to even try to go after what I wanted, but you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love the kids I work with, and I honestly love my job. Besides,” Minghao takes one hand off the wheel and blindly searches for Chan’s hand. The younger meets him halfway and intertwines the fingers, settling them on the center console. “I got to meet you, and that’s a win in my book.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Normally, I don’t allow romancing until the fourth date, but I guess I’ll allow it just this once.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They continued on talking like that for the rest of the ride. Chan brought up many ridiculous topics and asked many weird questions. Minghao couldn’t resist laughing and answering in the most honest way possible, making Chan bust out laughing. The conversation flowed well and didn’t feel forced. That’s one thing Minghao always struggled with in his past relationships, usually the root cause of his problems, but, with Chan, it isn’t like that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you taking me up into the mountains to kill me?” Chan asks as he stares out the window. They were currently driving uphill on a mountain road surrounded by nothing but trees. The sun hadn’t set yet, but it was getting low; the hue in the sky almost magical.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m not going to kill you, but we are almost…” Minghao holds on to the last t until they reach the top of the hill, revealing an open field just past a small parking lot. “Here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minghao pulls into one of the parking spaces, and besides them, there is only one other car there. Chan stares outside and then looks back to Minghao, his eyes shining. “This is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, not exactly, but it is only a short walk away from here, so, technically yes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chan lets out a happy gasp and practically bolts out of the car. He’s up and gone before Minghao can say anything, choosing to run around the fields like a child. Minghao smiles and gets the basket out of the back seat, and then just takes a moment to breathe it all in. This is one of Minghaos all-time favorite spots. When he went through a really rough patch in college, he discovered this place while trying to take a breather from society, stumbling across this place after getting lost on the mountain road. As far as he is aware, not many people know about this place, making it a perfect getaway. No civilization, no (or not a lot of) people, and just peace. It is and always has been a sacred place to Minghao, but he felt compelled to bring Chan here for some reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger halts his running and turns back to Minghao; still out of breath Chan runs over to the older and pulls him by the hand, dragging him to come running with him through the fields. Minghao stumbles and almost drops the basket, but once he gets going, he feels free. They both laugh as they run around, practically unrealistically as if they were both in some cheesy romance movie. And of course, to top it all off on the cheesiness, the younger trips, and falls, bringing Minghao down with him, Chan flat on the ground, their faces only inches from each other. Chan stares at him, breathing heavily, a smile still on his face. And Minghao isn’t sure if it’s the cheesiness of the moment or the fact that the event was so unpredictable, but he can’t stop himself from breaking out into a fit of giggles. Chan gapes up at the older, completely thrown off by the reaction that he was getting. Eventually, Chan follows suit and also breaks out into a fit of laughter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once they both calm down, Minghao gets up and extends a hand to Chan, which the other graciously accepts. He pulls him up with ease, almost too quickly, the other falling forward into Minghao’s arms. The olders grasp tightens on his so that he doesn’t lose his balance, scanning him to make sure he’s okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chan scoffs playfully, as he pats Minghao on the chest, “Are we secretly being filmed by the hallmark channel or?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I tried to make it as discreet as possible, but the director told me not to. Something about making it seem extra dramatic or whatever.” He ends the sentence with a grin. “Now, let’s get to the spot I’m trying to take you to before the sun sets because that, Chan, is the best part.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now it’s Minghaos turn to lead. He pulls chan along as they walk further and further into the field. Neither of them talks as they walk. Minghao enjoys the silence, and Chan just takes in the new scenery. There isn’t much grass in the field but many sea oats, fluttering in the wind, setting the scene for a very magical night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just up this way, towards the end of the field, but follow my lead because it can get a little rocky up here, and I don’t want you to fall.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be there to catch me if I do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“While that is true, there is also a cliff up ahead, and I may not be able to catch you in time if you do fall.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Wait, what?!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Chan all but yells, clinging closer to the older, now cautious of his every move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry. I won’t let you even get close enough to fall, </span>
  <em>
    <span>dear</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” And Chan looks at him and blinks rapidly. “Wha-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was for the unexpected shot. You gotta be reasonably emotional if you wanna make it on hallmark. But that got your mind off walking past a cliffside so…” Minghao gestures to the small open area on top of the cliff. There is one single picnic table sitting close enough to the edge that you can see the water, but also far enough away that neither them nor the picnic table will fall off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Minghao, this is…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stunning, beautiful, breathtaking?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.” Chan breathes out and roughly pulls Minghaos hand, pulling him down and connecting their lips in a searing kiss. It’s the type of kiss that you see in romance movies. The kind of kiss where the passion is so intense that fireworks go off in the background. Minghao wasn’t expecting it, to say the least, but he felt the spark, the rush of adrenaline as Chan’s lips move against his own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the younger pulls away, he is left breathless. Not because they were kissing for long (because in Minghao’s opinion, they didn’t kiss long enough), but because it was so, well, breathtaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>I have been waiting to do for a long time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I figured. Again, considering how long you were making heart eyes at me every time I walked into the room.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minghao groans and tries to cover his face. “Ugh, why do I have a feeling you are going to bring this up every time we go on a date?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stops and takes a moment to think about what he just said. “Look I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If this is you hinting not subtly that you want to go on another date with me, then I accept. But, oh boy, do we need to work on your flirting skills.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine oh great and powerful flirter. You will have to show me how it’s done.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minghao makes his way to the table and sets the basket down on the table. He sits down and pats the seat next to him. Chan comes over and takes the spot next to him looking out towards the sea. The sun was finally setting, the vibrant orange sinking down into the vast ocean, painting the surface of the water with orange hues. </span>
  <span>Sunsets have always been enamoring to Minghao. Yeah, sure, he loved the colors and how no sunset was alike but, that wasn’t just his reason for loving sunsets, no. When he was younger, Minghaos mother always told him that the sun sets on one day and rises in another. It ends one story and starts another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chan lays his head on Minghaos shoulder as they watch the sun continue to slowly fall down beneath the horizon. And suddenly, Minghao could see another story start for him, and although this was just their first date, he knew it wouldn’t be their last.</span>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A finished Chanhao story by me is an accomplishment. I love them so much and I hope you guys all enjoyed reading :)<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/diduforget123"> Twitter </a><br/><a href="https://curiouscat.qa/diduforget123"> CC </a></p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Chapter two will be out soon!<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Mitochandrla"> Twitter </a><br/><a href="https://curiouscat.qa/LeeChanIsAKing"> CC </a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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